This invention generally relates to grenade launching systems and, in particular, such a system for launching a variety of grenades from a number of launch tubes and for indicating the status of the launch tubes.
Present grenade launching systems in this field are often mounted on an armored vehicle, such as a tank, and the grenades are generally housed in launching tubes outside of the vehicle while the operator remains inside. Thus, controlling the launching of a number of grenades requires penetrations through the hull of the tank, generally through the turret. Wiring for communication from a control portion to a launching portion of the system passes through the holes. Any hole, however, weakens the armor plating which makes the vehicle more susceptible to attack and destruction from armor piercing weapons. Therefore, it is desirable to limit the number and size of hull penetrations.
Presently available grenade launchers are not adaptable for use with a variety of types of grenades. A number of different grenade types may be necessary during combat, such as: smoke emitting, visibility screens, millimeter wave screens, infrared screens, and the like. The different types of grenades are designed to thwart different detection schemes for locating tanks. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to launch specific types of grenades discriminately, i.e., singularly or in combination. Present systems, however, do not provide for individual launch tube control.
Similarly, present grenade launchers do not provide an inventory, or status report, for which grenades have been launched and which grenades are available for launching.